May 31 (Bloomberg) -- Iran razed two buildings near a
suspected nuclear-trigger test site inside of its sprawling
Parchin military complex, satellite images published by the
Institute for Science and International Security show.

“These activities raise further concerns of Iranian
efforts to destroy evidence of alleged past nuclear
weaponization,” the Washington-based ISIS wrote in a six-page
analysis published yesterday.

International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have been
trying to gain access to Parchin since January as part of its
oversight of suspected nuclear sites in Iran. The IAEA said last
week that it had reached an agreement with Iranian authorities
to broaden its investigation. Iran is under multiple
international sanctions on concern the country is seeking a
nuclear bomb, a charge Iran denies.

The ISIS obtained the images, taken May 25, from
DigitalGlobe Inc., a Longmont, Colorado-based commercial-satellite operator. The buildings were destroyed near another
structure suspected of housing a blast chamber allegedly used to
contain and study the impacts of high explosives, according to
the ISIS.

Explanation Sought

“The razing of the two buildings may also indicate that
Iran has no intention to allow inspectors access soon,” David
Albright and Robert Avagyan wrote for ISIS. “Iran should
immediately allow the IAEA access to Parchin and explain the
significance of these apparent clean-up activities.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast could
not be reached by phone today at his office in Tehran. Thursday
is the start of the weekend in Iran.

Improved Iranian cooperation with international inspectors
has been a key demand in negotiations between world powers and
the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries.

Iran needs to prove that its nuclear program is peaceful,
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in an
interview with Turkey’s NTV news channel in Istanbul today,
urging the country to cooperate closely with the IAEA.

A senior western official told reporters in Vienna today
that the U.S. and its allies believe Iran is trying to sanitize
the Parchin site, 18 miles (30 kilometers) southwest of Tehran,
and that the Persian Gulf country’s actions are fueling
skepticism about its nuclear intentions. Efforts to clean up the
site prove Iran is worried that inspectors may find something
indicating it was working on atomic weapons, according to the
official.

Negotiators from the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, China
and Russia plan to meet their Iranian counterparts on June 18
and 19 in Moscow. It will mark the third attempt in three months
to address international worries that Iran’s atomic energy
program may be a cover for secret weapons work, and Iran’s
concerns about sanctions and diplomatic isolation.